]]>https://abinyah.com/blog/quote-17/feed/05029Dyn a security threat?https://abinyah.com/blog/dyn-a-security-threat/
Mon, 03 Sep 2018 15:43:20 +0000https://abinyah.com/blog/?p=4966Read More →]]>For a few weeks now, I have been unable to visit DynDNS. My security appliances indicate the following

This site is blocked due to a security threat that was discovered by the Cisco Umbrella security researchers.

At first I thought this was a mistake, probably a badly tagged domain. However, the disclaimer indicates that

Cisco Umbrella security researchers

have blocked the site. I wonder if they mean real people discovered an insidious malware threat on the DynDNS and if they let the administrators over at Dyn know.

I would hope the admins at Dyn check their site regularly for specifically this kind of thing. IP blocks can be checked and removed using the Spamhause project, or setup IP alerts with MXToolbox or other similar services.

However, it’s September 1st and no change in the umbrella disclaimer. Lets hope the admin was just on vacation, because it’s back to school.

]]>4966My iPad 2018 Hopeshttps://abinyah.com/blog/my-ipad-2018-hopes/
https://abinyah.com/blog/my-ipad-2018-hopes/#respondMon, 23 Apr 2018 16:40:52 +0000http://abinyah.com/blog/?p=4566Read More →]]>I really want to buy a new iPad this year. I hope to use it for design and writing work specifically. I am really hoping Apple includes a few of my request below for the 2018 revamp.

Size

A larger bezelless iPad. I think a 13 inch screen is an ideal screen size for me. This year I am looking for a larger iPhone and a larger iPad.

VR/AR Camera

I would forgo dual VR/AR cameras on an iPad if they show up on an iPhone, however I need this new iPad to really become my touch screen MacBookPro.

TouchID

I will be really sad to see the touch ID go away on all the new Apple iDevices I’m actually really quite used to using touch ID. Being an owner of an Apple Watch, I like the convenience of walking up to my Mac and having it unlock itself because of my Apple Watch. Not having to bring the iPad up to my face to unlock I think is important.

Pencil+

Right now blogging with an iPad Air 2 I feel a bit limited by the keyboard. Voice dictation works, but I am not used to narrating my ideas. So I am sticking with my request for a larger screen, and more importantly Pencil support. I have yet to use Apple Pencil for work. I am not sure what the experience is like, or the shortcomings of trying to find the Pencil when you need it. But sketching is something I do a lot. My present workflow is paper, scanner, then digitize and I would love to update my workflow.

[August 2018 Update]

It was nice to delay posting so that I could get my hands on using an iPad Pro and iPad Education (6th Generation) with Apple pencil. Pencil is all that is is cracked up to be. The make or break factor for using Pencil is an app that sufficiently supports what you would usually do with a pencil on paper, “infinite” scroll for when you are writing, and a textured screen. I have yet to try “screen protectors” that are textured to support Apple Pencil. Nonetheless, I can tell you that someone who uses fountain pens because ballpoint pens are too “smooth” (read hard to control) when writing, the Apple Pencil will hurt your hand after many minutes of writing. Some resistance is needed to not strain you hand. I would give Apple Pencil a 80-90% satisfaction rating for replacing a pencil/pen and paper workflow. App such as Apple Notes and Notability are the best to use. Autodesk Sketch pas is great, but not being able to resize the canvas on the fly needs to be resolved.

Wireless Charging

Wireless charging will be important for me, since I got hooked to the feature back in 2015 with my Apple Watch. Apple has been focused on getting rid of cables as they are prone to breaking and are awkward, and a large charging surface for all my iDevices will make this a reality.

Apple has continuously delayed the charging pad “AirPower” and a hope it becomes available with a new iPad, and iPhone this fall.

Doesn’t matter to me…

There are a bunch of technologies that make up an iPad that will be less influenced by in 2018. Speakers, battery, thinness and Screen are features I think the iPad has already perfected. Quadrophonic speakers, bright high resolution display and all-day battery are pretty much standard features at this point. I see removing the home button and rapid inductive charging as much more important to ergonomics than thinness.

Screen

Not that the display does not matter, in fact it is probably the most crucial technological feature of the iPad besides the battery. However, I am not hooked on if the display is OLED or LCD. Both will be amazing compared to what I am used to on my iPad Mini 2, iPad Air 2 and my workhorse iPad 2, and they all look and work great for watching video or typing text.

Speakers

Quadrophonic speakers on the iPad Pro is as good as you’re going to get. Add in a dedicated sub woofer, and you basically have 5.1 surround sound in a tablet. It’s hard to beat that already. Besides, I have a pretty killer sound system for the office using AirPlay, and I have wireless beat headphones when I to make FaceTime Audio calls, etc. Better speakers on the new iPad Pro wouldn’t sway me at all. A pair of Apple HomePods will round out any missing sound.

Water resistance

Water resistance would be a great to have feature. I don’t use my iPad int he pool, but if my hope is to go road warrior with my iPad, not being worried that it’s raining or coffee might spill on it is a bonus. That’s the way I feel when I’m out with my D800, the water seal brings peace of mind.

The Dock

If they’re not adding USB-C, two would be nice, to the new iPad Pro, then I don’t even want to hear this mentioned.

Lightning and Keyboard accessories

When the iPad on screen typing gets annoying, like it is now, I just switch to my Apple wireless keyboard, like I am doing now. I prefer the full length keyboard, but in a pinch I have the regular AA battery powered one that has reasonable key travel and has a familiar typing resistance.

Conclusion

In conclusion, bigger is better for 2018 and bring on the Cameras! I hope I get my wish. We’ll see later this year.

Sources

Always a big thanks to my sources for the information and images above. Obviously, if any of the below source object to my use of them as sources, please let me know. As an opinion piece, just know that these words are my own and in no way reflect, endorse or make any representations about other’s works.

iFixit

Consumer Reports

CNet

IdropNews

Apple Inc.

]]>https://abinyah.com/blog/my-ipad-2018-hopes/feed/04566Crypto Ledger and Compliancehttps://abinyah.com/blog/crypto-ledger-and-compliance/
https://abinyah.com/blog/crypto-ledger-and-compliance/#respondSun, 22 Apr 2018 22:11:06 +0000http://abinyah.com/blog/?p=4548Read More →]]>A number of interesting topic about crypto ledgers and compliance with EU data regulations have emerged over the past few months.

On the negative propaganda side of Crypto we have warnings about investments in crypto. These fall under the category of “get rich quick” schemes. Just about all are a nexus of vapourware initial coin offering (ICO) buyer be ware fraudulent schemes.

On the positive propaganda side of Crypto, we have bitcoin recovering from it’s latest low, new banking entities or technology firms looking to graft blockchain into their latest business scheme or hiring blockchain programmers to fill seats.

Are they really contradictory forces, or a different side of the same coin?

In this present era of Crypto blockchain we are lacking a “google” or “facebook” style app that brings all of these technologies together in what we would call an Enterprise Application.

I have been working on such an application for a couple years now in my spare time called VODE (varied open democracy) over at my startup myDMDi, but it has some ways to go before it will be ready for a demo.

The iPad

March 27th, 2018, Apple held an education focused event at Lane Tech College Prop High School, in Chicago. I suggest you have a look at the keynote over at Apple’s website if you missed it.

The long and short of it, is that Apple released an updated iPad with Apple Pencil support and a renewed focus on teachers and students. Apple hardware and software focused squarely at the middle class price opint.

I believe Apple aims to bridge the way teachers and students use devices outside the classroom, to modernize teaching. The iPad price point and pencil suppose being critical to that access.

I feel especially moved by Apple’s effort, because I grew up in the 90s using Apple hardware and software for classwork. Using PowerMac 9600s to make short films in Adobe Premiere and Avid. Todays’ iPads have a lot more power and storage, yet we have don’t seen an explore use in the classroom.

My teachers, luddites then, and over twenty years later, luddites now. My children routinely come home with journals and photocopies that look like they are still using the same photocopiers from 1991.

I do have one teacher that uses digital calendars and cloud based tools so I can follow along with my child’s progress. I know what’s coming up and what school work they are working on. It would be nice if all my children had the same experience. Honestly, I believe teachers’ workloads could be reduced if digital tools were properly integrating across the curriculum.

I love the below iPad image because it looks like a report I would have handed in in High School. I once created an full colour print magazine using the best tools in the industry at the time for my grade 12 Media Arts class. The exploration of the tools allowed me to better understand the work of publication in general.

The Exposure

I often find myself, unwilling drawn into a discussion about technology in the class room. I am often asked to demonstrate using technology in class. I cringe a little inside, because for me it is “technology” is usually bared from entry into the classroom. At the heart of the problem, a pencil is as much technology as an iPad. But if teachers are only going to accept assignments written with a pencil, then they have already chosen which technologies are barred from the classroom.

Simply paying lip service to the use of technology in the classroom is a reflection on pedagogy, not the shortcomings of technology.

The iPad is a great piece of technology only if children will use it to better integrate their experiences inside and outside the classroom with what they are being taught.

Bringing diversity of teacher and learning into the classroom should be the mission of every school. I often hear that it is not possible because of the lack of resources. Overworked and under resourced teachers and schools. Conflicting agendas, bias, racism and antiquated approaches to pedagogy. Reinventing the wheel rather than making the electric car.

The Rub

I think the new iPad can be a great tool, but only if the software can make learning easier for everyone involved.

My own children spend hours going through blank piece of paper, pulling on my sweaters to print new images to colour, or show them how to fold new kinds of origami. I then spend lots of time scanning their art back into the computer or taking photos of their new Lego creations. I wish I could follow their progress at school with the same ease I swipe through their art on my iPad, or enter appointments into my calendar on my iPhone.

I would buy them a new iPad in a second if I thought all of “tracking” requirements would be solved. But, I honestly feel like they are just peddling more hardware without the accompanying software.

My daughter brings home hole punched homework sheets. Honestly, in this day and age. There is no school website for her grade with adaptive math problems. She still erases and crosses our her homework on paper. It is astonishing to me that I have yet to hear of a School board, tech company, government agency or programming firm coming together to create modular bilingual adaptive learning software freely available to all schools in Canada. In stead of making a new Garage band, Apple should be on this K-12 curriculum and integrating homework into Game Centre.

It has been more than twenty years for me, but technology hasn’t changed very much. If you don’t have an imagination and the will to bring it to live, no amount of technology will change my mind.

]]>https://abinyah.com/blog/the-new-ipad-with-pencil-support/feed/04512FAS – Federation of American Scientists NNSA Nuclear Stockpile Stewardship & Management Plan Updatehttps://abinyah.com/blog/fas-federation-of-american-scientists-nnsa-nuclear-stockpile-stewardship-management-plan-update/
https://abinyah.com/blog/fas-federation-of-american-scientists-nnsa-nuclear-stockpile-stewardship-management-plan-update/#respondSun, 01 Apr 2018 15:54:05 +0000http://abinyah.com/blog/?p=4510Read More →]]>In November of 2017 Hans M. Kristensen of the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) released an update to the NNSA’s New Nuclear Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan.

It is always a good idea to quickly go over the major super powers nuclear stockpiles and policies, especially in light of their aggressive rhetoric about the nuclear ambitious of other countries.

Not only is the size of their nuclear arsenal impressive, it is the diversity and capabilities of these doomsday weapons that boggle the mind.

Recently, with the Russian diversification of their nuclear capabilities sending shockwaves throughout the world in March 2018, it is important to put their claims into perspective, and challenge the notion that we world is in a new Cold War type arms race. I believe if never ended.

The world still remains a pretty dangerous, trigger happy place to live in.

]]>https://abinyah.com/blog/quote-15/feed/04344Quotehttps://abinyah.com/blog/quote-14/
https://abinyah.com/blog/quote-14/#respondWed, 07 Feb 2018 03:23:57 +0000http://abinyah.com/blog/?p=4211Read More →]]>“The space time continuum is a strange place, where time is but a continuum of space…“